1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method of producing holes of various dimensions and configurations in a workpiece using a portable orbital drilling machine, said workpiece having attached thereto a template with preformed guide holes located in a pattern corresponding to the positions of the holes to be formed in the workpiece. The invention also relates a system for carrying out this method.
2. Description of Related Art
When producing a plurality of holes of various dimensions and configurations in a workpiece of composite material, such as fiber-reinforced composite materials, laminates, stacks of identical or various materials, etc., use of a portable orbital drilling machine is in many instances preferred, since all holes could normally be formed with one and the same cutting tool. In order to accurately locate the drilling machine to the position of the hole to be produced a template having preformed guide holes or bushings is fixated in a correct position to the workpiece. The drilling machine is then fixated successively to a respective guide hole or bushing in the template and is brought to perform an orbital cutting process relevant to the respective hole. Examples of such known hole-producing methods and devices are disclosed in WO 94/17944, WO 01/15870, and WO 02/102535. As many holes of various size and configurations are to be formed in a rapid sequence, the operator may have difficulties in identifying the guide hole and establishing which specific hole-cutting processing data should be applied by the drilling machine to the guide hole in question.